Down the Stairs. No Choice.

Bracha did it. She Called Ami and told him all about my antics on the stairs at the train station. She did tell him that besides that, I behave beautifully and that I've been a good dog. So I was saved from total disgrace. How is it that Bracha and Ami just don't understand that those stairs give me the creeps? Ami thinks that maybe something happened to me on the stairs once - maybe someone stepped on my paws or tail, or bumped us with a suitcase runnning to the train. Who knows. Maybe even I don't know.
Ami told Bracha to make the leash short, leave go of my harness, and order me to go. That will leave me no choice. Sometimes I even start balking when we turn into the train station, or after we go through the turnstile. I know those stairs are coming...I don't know why I do this. I love the train, the stop we make to give me a drink at the water cooler that I always find all by myself, the soft blue carpeting and the nice rhythm of the train as it goes down the tracks and lulls me to sleep. But I'm only a dog. Not every thing I do is logical.

Going Down the Stairs

I know it's not logical. But every time we get to the top of the stairs at the train station, I stop. This can be very disconcerting for Bracha if we are in a hurry to catch a train. The people in Nahariya are always there to open the gate for us rather than letting us make our way through the turnstile. Sometimes the train is directly in front of us and when Bracha tells me "Suki, to the door!" we pop over to the door, I stand in front of it, and we open it and get on. Other times Bracha insists upon going down the stairs, through the underground tunnel and up the other side to another train - even though there is a train on the platform in front of us! I don't like this. I stand at the top of the steep stairs and they lead down into the dark tunnel and I don't want to go. I know Bracha does not want to pull me forward down the stairs. That would be a dangerous thing to do. Food might get me to go a step or two and even the clicker will coax me down one more step, but I balk something awful. I don't like it down there. Even petting me and speaking to me softly doesn't make me feel better.
Bracha checked everything: Is my collar or harness too tight so that when I go down the stairs I feel uncomfortable? Nope.
Are the stairs slippery or do they make me feel unsure of my footing? Nope.
Is there something at the bottom of the stairs I don't like? Bracha doesnot know. She can't see what's down there from the top and can't smell like I can. And I can't tell her.
Do I think that she's making a mistake by not getting on the train and choosing to go down the stairs? I may be a smart-alek golden retriever and maybe I think I know which train is the right one, but Bracha says that is not for me to decide.
"Suki!" Bracha said, "Are we going to have to call Ami and consult with him?" Now that means that this is definitely unacceptable and getting out of hand. So next time we are in town we are going to go to the station and give the stairs a good going over when we are not in a hurry. I promise to try. Anything but being reported to Ami!

New Friends and Oh More Rain!

After the nonsense that I did last week at the guide dog owners' meeting in Tel Aviv, I decided that this week I'd be on my absolute best behavior. I was admired by everyone on the train and behaved beautifully, as well as in the meeting itself where I lay sleeping for hours next to Bracha's chair. And this was despite the excitement of meeting so many new friends! There was even Dessa, a lovely black labrador from America! She belongs to Ibrahim, and of course, he speaks to her in English! She's a delicate black dog with lovely shiny fur. He must brush her all the time just like Bracha brushes me. It was interesting to hear how Ibrahim had learned to work with Dessa. For instance, Dessa is not allowed on moving stairs without boots. Here we are allowed to go up and down moving stairs if Bracha picks me up quickly by the harness at the end so that I don't get my paws caught between the stair and the metal plate. It seems all the guide dog schools in Israel and America have different rules, but they are all made to keep us safe and working well.

Boy was I glad to get our for a bit today and run! The entire front yard looks like one big puddle and we went out to the field out back and I let out a lot of pent up energy. And now guess what? It's raining again!

We Need Our Fur!

Here we are in the middle of winter with all our fur! I'm beginning to look more like a golden retriever. No matter how hard I try I just can't grow fur that's honey-colored, but I know Bracha loves me the way I am - a white golden retriever!

Shaping Up

Bracha and I are still working hard on my discipline at home. And I know I'm doing much better because I get praised when I come quickly when Bracha calls me. We've done a lot of obedience lessons in the yard - more than usual - and I sit still while Bracha walks all around the big hedge of bamboo, disappears, and then comes back again to find me exactly in the right place. So I know things are improving and I can do it. I also walked all the way from the pool back to Nahariya and helped get out of the way of several bike riders and even a police car that was parked across the entire sidewalk. A policewoman helped Bracha and me walk around the car because we had to walk in the road. It was just like in training when something blocks the entire sidewalk and you have to go into the street.

Now that I've told you how good I've been, I have to tell you about something that I did that was really out of order. I made Bracha fall down. I still feel awful about it and know it won't happen again. Here's what happened. We arrived at the place in Tel Aviv where all the guide dog people meet. We got out of the taxi and there was Sheleg, a really nice dog who belongs to Oren. And I made a run for him while Bracha was holding onto my harness! Bracha went flying and fell down. She just looked at me when she got up and said "NO!" and "ARTZA!" I lay down and put my head on my paws. Then she crossed her armas and looked down at me. I was so sorry that if I could sob I would have burst into tears. And Sheleg kept romping with me while Bracha was talking to the others all day, so I had to stay in the office, rather than be in the room with Shadow, Sheleg, Tommy, Alice, Disney, Jamie, and Wendy. I deserved it.
So I promise to be good. I know I'm a big powerful dog and I can hurt Bracha if I'm not careful. And Bracha has talked to me about it, and I've promised again and again. No rough-housing near Bracha. No lunging or running when I'm in harness. I know it's important. Bracha has to be able to trust me.

Working and Shirking

It's cold! I'm lucky to have thick fur, which is now plush and very wavey. Either it's raining or the wind is blowing outside or both. I'm always happy when we get home and Bracka dries me off with a towel and I can settle down in front of the stove and warm up.

Now, I've got to admit I've been a bit slack about my obedience during my free time lately. I've begun to wander off in the yard and get occupied - mostly with avocados, which are always tempting. So Bracha and I had a talk, and we agreed to work on getting me well disciplined again. First of all, I'm not allowed to be free in the yard any more unless Bracha is outside. Then when I get let off leash, she calls me periodically, and I get a treat and occasionally a click with the clicker when I come quickly. And that reminded me of how I used to be. So I'm determined to behave and be able to be trusted again. I know I can do it. But oh, those avocados. They are so tempting!